The Chicago Blackhawks are gearing up to make a major move sooner rather than later. And now, there’s clarity on the trade pieces in play.
Since the organization has been adamant about not wanting to make a change behind the bench, the only real thing that GM Kyle Davidson can do is address the roster.
And that’s exactly what insider Elliotte Friedman alluded to during the latest edition of Saturday Headlines. During the Saturday night broadcast between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens game, Friedman made it clear that the Blackhawks are looking to find scoring help for Connor Bedard.
Then, on Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman doubled down on these thoughts, actually revealing the trade pieces that the Blackhawks have in play regarding a potential deal.
“I do think the Blackhawks are trying to do something. I think they are, in particular, trying to find offensive help. So, they have five picks in the upcoming draft that are early. They have theirs, which is now looking like it’s going to be a pretty high pick again, they have Edmonton’s, they have Florida’s, and then they have their second-round pick, which looks like it’s going to be pretty, and they have Vancouver’s second-round pick.”
As Friedman noted, that could be five picks within the first 35 in the 2027 NHL Draft. As such, there is some very interesting trade capital to consider. A team potentially looking to unload a veteran scorer (ahem, Pittsburgh) might find the abundance of picks highly useful.
Blackhawks Also Have Two Other Names on the Market
In addition to the draft picks in play, the Blackhawks also have two other veteran names on the block.
“They have (Jordan) Greenway out there. They have (Teuvo) Teravainen out there. I think Teravainen needs a fresh start. That hasn’t worked out there very well this year,” Friedman noted.
The two veteran pieces could be interesting replacements for teams looking to shed an expiring contract and bring back a fill-in for the short term.
However, the market for both of these veteran players isn’t very high right now. So, one would have to think that if the Greenway and Tervainen are out there, potential suitors would have to be teams looking to find some sort of help amid an irrational barrage of injuries this season.
Chicago Not Trading Its First-Round Pick
One other interesting thing that Friedman noted was the fact that the Blackhawks don’t appear to be willing to trade their first-round pick this year. While the club moved the fourth-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in the Bowen Byram trade, it doesn’t look like that will happen this season.
So, it seems that the Edmonton and Florida picks, along with the two second-rounders, will be the major pieces the Blackhawks will be dangling in order to make something work for them.
It’s worth noting that it remains unclear who the Blackhawks are targeting at the moment. While fans would love someone like Nikita Kucherov landing in Chicago, the organization may have to settle for someone a little less flashy.
One thing is certain: The chatter is pointing towards something happening relatively soon.
Blackhawks Trade Pieces Revealed by Insider